cacb.thefarkingdoms-第34部分

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o　men　circling　each　other；　eyes　probing　for　an　opening；　paid　no　heed。　His　hand　blurred　in　that　violently　quick　motion　I　remembered　from　outside　the　tavern　in　Orissa；　and　his　broadsword　flashed；　knocking　away　both　blades　of　the　soldiers。　They　came　back　to　their　senses；　and　there　was　a　babble　of　〃。。。　bastard　knocked　over　。。。〃　〃。。。　laughed　。。。〃　〃。。。　clumsy　ape　。。。〃　and　a　bellow　for　silence。
　〃Enough！〃　Janos　roared。　〃Drop　the　swords；　both　of　you！〃　Steel　clattered　to　stone。　〃Lifting　arms　against　a　brother！　How　dare　you？　You　know　the　penalty。　Banishment　if　there　is　no　harm；　death　if　there　is　an　injury！　This　is…〃
　A　calm　voice　interrupted。　〃This　is　sorcery；　Captain。〃　We　turned。　It　was　Cassini。
　〃We　are　cursed；〃　he　said；　in　his　customarily　abrupt　way；　and　he　did　not　pay　attention　to　the　reaction　to　his　statement。　〃Small　curses；〃　he　went　on；　〃have　been　dogging　us　for　some　days。　The　sneezing　。。。　those　mites　that　appear　at　the　least　convenient　times　。。。　how　all　of　us　have　been　too　quick　to　anger　without　provocation。〃
　〃Who　cursed　us？〃　a　soldier　growled　in　spite　of　Maeen's　glower。　〃Th'　damned　Shore　People？〃　And　scowls　were　turned　against　our　small　panions。
　〃I　think　not；〃　Cassini　said。　〃But　there　must　be　a　casting；　and　a　counterspell。　Now；　this　night。　Each　of　these　curses　are　small；　such　as　an　Evocator　can　cast　from　a　distance；　and　easily　maintain　without　a　drain　on　his　strengths。〃
　〃But　they　can　kill；〃　Janos　said　quietly。　〃Lione；　if　that　first　sword　slash　had　landed；　we　might　well　be　saying　the　words　for　Cherfas　as　well。〃
　Now　it　was　my　turn。　I　felt　a　slight　flicker　of　pride　as　the　orders　came　easily。　〃Well　spoken；　Evocator。　Again；　we　have　realized　how　lucky　we　are　that　you　chose　to　acpany　us　and　be　our　shield　against　evil。〃　My　pliment　was　not　truly　felt；　of　course。　But　I　knew　the　men　would　need　maximum　trust　in　Cassini　for　a　ceremony　to　work　smoothly。　〃Captain　Greycloak；〃　I　went　on；　formally。　〃Send　a　man　。。。　two　men　。。。　to　the　river　and　fetch　back　our　fisherman。　We　shall　not　chance　anyone　outside　the　camp　this　night。　Also；　post　sentries　in　the　correct　manner。　Evocator　Cassini；　all　of　our　resources　are　yours　to　cast　this　counterspell。〃
　Cassini　preened　just　long　enough　to　put　my　teeth　on　edge；　then　began　ordering　people　here　and　there　as　he　made　his　preparations。　An　hour　later；　as　night　fell；　the　surprisingly　simple　ceremony　was　performed。　Cassini　had　two　soldiers　bring　a　cloakful　of　clay　from　the　riverbank。　We　were　formed　in　line；　and　each　of　us　was　manded　to　take　a　handful　of　the　clay　and；　while　Cassini　prayed　in　an　unknown　tongue；　to　shape　the　clay　into　a　figurine。　After　that　he　told　us　to　cut　a　bit　from　a　garment　or　trapping　and　work　it　into　the　figurine。　He　cautioned　us　to　not　use　spittle；　fingernails；　or　anything　that　was　a　true　part　of　our　bodies。　He　led　us　out　of　the　barracks　into　the　brush；　where　a　low　fire　of　greenwood　had　been　prepared。　He　drew　a　circle　around　the　fire　and　told　us　to　put　our　dolls　inside　that　circle。　We　then　formed　a　second　ring；　with　the　orders　to　focus　all　of　our　attention　on　our　doll　and　to　try　not　to　think　of　anything　but　the　figurine　and　how　it　looked　exactly　like　us。　Perhaps　one　or　another　of　the　soldiers　might　have　jested　about　the　less　than　artistic　sculptures　we　laid　down；　but　all　of　us　were　frightened…both　of　these　spells　and　magic　itself。　I　fancied　I　could　feel　forces　of　the　night　curl　around　us　as　Cassini　lighted　the　fire　and　began　chanting　as　the　smoke　rose。
　
　〃Smoke　shall　build
　〃Smoke　shall　climb
　〃Choke　the　eyes
　〃Choke　the　mind　。。。〃
　He　softly　cautioned　us　not　to　break　our　concentration　until　。。。　until　he　clapped　his　hands　three　times；　and　as　ordered；　we　spun；　turning　our　backs　on　the　dolls　and　the　fire。　Without　looking　back；　we　then　walked　back　toward　our　campsite。　I　heard　Cassini　continuing　his　chant　from　behind　us。
　
　〃Now　we　sleep
　〃Now　we　stay
　〃Now　you　seek
　〃Now　you　find。
　
　〃Circle　shall　hold
　〃Circle　shall　reach
　〃Circle　shall　gather
　〃Circle　shall　hold　。。。〃
　
　An　hour　later　he　rejoined　us　and　told　us　that　we　should　eat　and　then　sleep。　It　would　do　no　harm　to　go　out　in　the　bushes　for　natural　calls；　but　none　of　us　should　go　down　to　where　the　remnants　of　the　fire　smoked。　We　should　make　as　little　noise　as　possible；　but　we　should　relax　and　not　worry。　The　counterspell　was　cast；　and　all　of　those　annoying　spells　should　be　drawn　toward　those　figurines。
　The　soldiers　and　the　Shore　People　seemed　relieved；　and　they；　having　put　their　trust　in　Cassini　and　his　sorcery；　felt　these　problems　were　over。　I　took　Cassini　aside；　and　Janos　joined　us。　I　promised　the　Evocator　a　bonus　for　this　night's　actions　when　we　returned　to　Orissa。　I　asked　bun　if　these　curses　were　indeed　tied　to　those　dolls　out　in　the　night。　He　said　he　was　sure…since　none　of　them　were　particularly　cast　to　be　lethal；　none　required　much　of　a　counterspell　to　fool。　It　was　better；　he　felt；　to　divert　the　spells　and　allow　them　to　run　on　rather　than　to　break　them　pletely。　〃This　will；　I　hope；　keep　our　enemies　happy　believing　that　we　are　still　plagued　by　their　spells　and　do　not　require　more　stringent　attention。〃
　〃Our　enemies；〃　Janos　asked。　〃From　where？〃
　Cassini　looked　unsure　of　himself。　〃At　first；　I　thought　these　incantations　came　from　Lycanth；　where　we　know　we　have　enemies；　from　the　Symeon　clan　to　。。。　to　others。
　〃Indeed；　I　did　feel　emanations　from　this　direction。　But　I　also　felt　something　else。　Something　。。。　neither　of　you　are　Evocators；　so　I　cannot　use　the　terms　of　my　craft　。。。　something　like　a　great　rolling　wave；　a　flood　perhaps。　ing　from　the　east。〃
　Janos　and　I　were　jolted。　〃But　。。。　none　of　us　have　been　beyond　this　point；　that　I　am　aware　of；〃　I　said。　〃Except　perhaps　one　or　another　of　the　Shore　People。〃
　〃It　makes　little　sense；〃　Cassini　agreed。　〃And　what　I　found　more　puzzling　was　。。。　this　flood；　this　presence；　perhaps；　I　did　not　feel　to　be　evil。　At　least；　I　felt　no　especial　threat　to　any　of　us。　It　was　。。。〃　and　he　fumbled　for　words；　〃。。。　as　if　there　were　some　great；　invisible　force　above　us；　a　force　that　。。。　that　。。。　ah；　I　do　not　have　the　words；〃　he　said。　〃Think　of　a　great　fish　in　a　lake；　knowing　of　the　tiny　perch　around　him。　He　is　not　hungry　at　present；　but　sees　those　little　fish。　And　perhaps；　in　an　hour　or　a　week；　when　he　is　hungry；　he　might　look　at　them　more　closely。〃　Cassini　shook　his　head。　〃That　is　the　best　parison　my　mind　allows。〃
　We　agreed　to　set　a　careful　watch　that　night；　less　concerned　with　intruders　than　that　one　of　our　men　might　bee　curious；　investigate　the　scene　of　Cassini's　casting；　and　spoil　all　of　the　work。　Janos；　Cassini；　Sergeant　Maeen；　and　I　would　be　the　guardians。　Cassini　took　first　watch；　which　started　at　once。　Janos　told　me　later　that　he　chose　the　Evocator　because　everyone　would　still　be　awake；　and　Janos　would　not　have　to　worry　about　the　sorcerer's　petency。　Maeen　followed；　then　I　was　to　stand　guard；　and　then　Janos　would　take　the　final　watch　in　the　always　hazardous　predawn　hours。
　I　was　sleeping　soundly　when　Maeen　tapped　me　awake　for　my　watch。　I　took　my　weapons　and　found　a　station　just　inside　the　barracks　door　where　I　could　look　out　into　the　starlit　night　without　being　seen。　Periodically　I　left　the　building　and　walked　around　it；　to　ensure　no　one　was　creeping　up　on　us。　It　was　very　peaceful　and　very　still。　The　sound　of　the　river　was　soothing。　I　felt　refreshed　by　my　sleep；　and　as　if　a　weight　had　been　lifted　by　Cassini's　art。　I　realized　I　had　been　as　nibbled　by　those　minor　sorceries　as　any　of　my　men。　I　looked　back　at　the　pass；　perhaps　a　sixth　of　a　league　behind　us。　My　eye　was　drawn　to　a　rock　formation　on　the　hillcrest。　Then　the　rock　moved　and　became　two　men。　Two　men　on　horseback。
　I　should　not　have　been　able　to　see　that　distance　with　the　degree　of　clarity　my　mind　told　me　I　was。　But　I　swear　now　I　could　see　they　were　both　wearing　plate　armor；　strange　for　such　a　poverty…crushed　land；　and　helmets　with　high　crests。　My　mind　heard　Janos'　hushed　description　from　that　sunny　afternoon　under　an　Orissan　wineshop's　arbor。　〃Even　their　mounts　seemed　protected；　since　I　saw　another　moonflash　from　one　steed's　head。　The　position　they　took　was　exactly　the　one　I　would　order　now；　if　I　were　leading　a　patrol　into　unfriendly　territory；　overlooking　the　pass　。。。〃
　I　started　to　shout　the　alarm；　then　stopped　myself。　The　day　had　ended　with　enchantments；　and　everyone　was　frighted。　I　had　heard　stories　from　old　soldiers　who　were　friends　of　my　father　about　young　sentries　who　swore　a　bush　became　an　attacking　enemy　and　men　changed　back　to　a　bush　when　the　watch　mander　was　alerted　or　a　spear　was　thrown。　Then　I　noticed　there　was　nothing　on　the　hilltop；　the　horsemen　were　gone；　obviously　it　had　been　an　illusion　of　the　night。　Still；　when　I　woke　Janos　for　the　last　guard；　I　waited　until　he　was　fully　alert　and　told　him　about　my　mirage。
　Janos　tugged　thoughtfully　at　his　beard。　〃So；〃　he　said　after　a　while；　〃Cassini's　great　fish　may　have　several　senses。　We　could；　if　we　wished；　go　to　the　hilltop　after　the　sun　rises。　The　best　that　could　happen　is　we　would　find　actual　horse　droppings　and　hoof…prints；　to　prove　someone　human　is　watching　us　in　this　country。　But　if　we　do　not　find　such　signs　。。。　well；　either　you　imagined　it；　or　。。。〃　Janos　snorted。　〃I　think　we　should　not　say　anything；　or　do　anything　at　all；　my　friend。　If　there　were　Watchers　atop　that　bluff　。。。　are　we　even　sure　they　are　aware　of　us？　Assume　yes。　Are　they　necessarily　our　enemies？　No　one　in　Kostroma　ever　reported　these　ghostly　guardsmen　to　do　them　physical　harm。　And　。。。　even　if　they　are　aware　of　us；　and　assume　they　know　all　from　their　leaders'　great　wizardry；　is　it　not　unlikely　they　intend　us　no　evil？　We　did；　after　all；　provide　last　rites　as　best　we　could　for　one　of　then…fellows。　Soldiers　of　any　race　。。。　or　even　ones　who　were　never　birthed　by　human　loins　must　certainly　appreciate　honors　such　as　that。　Even　considering　that　we　did　remove　that　talisman。〃
　I　found　a　smile　at　that　one。　〃Friend　Janos；　you　are　now　starting　to　sound　like　one　of　a　pair　of　dullards　playing　odds　and　even。　If　I　had　one　stone　in　my　fist　last　time；　should　I　have　the　same　number　this　time；　and　should　I　say　I　have　one；　two；　or　none。　Perhaps　I　should　do　the　same　thing；　but　no；　my　friend　will　know　I　did　the　same；　and　three　casts　ago；　that　was　my　plan；　so　this　time　I　should　。。。〃　I　let　my　voice　t